


Somewhere Better

by polariz3



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Canon, Bunker Sex, Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gabriel in the Bunker, Hurt Sam Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Lucifer is a Little Shit, Michael Is So Done, Protective Gabriel, does not follow season 11 all that well
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-05-17 00:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 11,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5846893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polariz3/pseuds/polariz3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gabriel suddenly comes back and saves Sam's ass, he owes the Trickster his life and doesn't want to add that to the mess on his plate. However, Gabe may want a little less than his life. Or a little more, depending on how you look at it.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Dean and Castiel have no idea what they're doing, or where Sam and Gabriel keep disappearing off to.<br/>;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sam sat up in bed with a very loud yawn and rubbed his eyes.

He never expected his day to be like this.

As he stepped into the main room of the bunker, Dean burst into song.

"Good morning to you, good morning to you, our day is beginning so good morning to you!"

"Dean?"

It chillingly reminded him of his hallucinations, a mere four years prior that now seemed decades behind him.

Dean merely continued to sing.

It was eight, long, musical hours later that Dean stopped.

"Sam?"

"Oh thank Christ." Sam said, removing his headphones and turning off the music playing from his laptop. "You're done."

"You don't understand."

"Understand what? That you decided to have an all day musical?"

"Gabriel."

"Gabriel?"

"Gabriel did it."

"Gabriel is dead."

"Mmmm, not so much."

A third voice joined the conversation condescendingly. The Trickster sat with his hands on Dean's shoulders. Sam was downright mortified. Dean, however, had an "I told you so" expression on his face and barely even seemed alarmed.

"Now let's talk about Satan."


	2. Chapter 2

"Uhm... what?"

"Is there an echo in here?"

"Y-you can't be serious."

"Deadly, Sammy." Gabriel said flatly. He sat down next to Dean. "I had to have a good reason to come back. Or rather, this one's bad, but- whatever you got the point."

"And what would that be?" Dean asked bravely. He hoped for the best but prepared for the worst of news.

"Luci got out. Again."

"No!" Sam couldn't help but yell something, seeing as he wished so much that it wasn't real. Or that Gabriel was joking.

"I'm sorry, alright? Relax."

"How do we know you aren't lying!?" Dean asked loudly.

"Why would I? There's a lot of things I could do to mess with Sam but reminding him of being tortured for a few millennium by Satan isn't one of them, Dean."

"Why should I believe you?" Sam questioned, his voice more of a mumble than anything.

"I wouldn't lie to you. I just want to help, m'kay?"

Sam was confused. Dean was in disbelief. No one fully understood why he was really out, though. He didn't want to start the apocalypse. He didn't want to hurt Sam, not technically, at least. But nobody else knew that. Sam and Dean assumed the worst.

"Fine, and if he is really out, what can you do about it?"

"I can help you hide."

"Hide where?"

"Somewhere better. Somewhere he could never find you even if he managed to get in somehow."

"Really?"

"Yep. Even if another angel could manage to find a way in, I can alter the place by simply thinking about it so I doubt they could ever find you."

"What is it, some kind of... pocket universe?" 

"Not really. It's more of a hideout that I've been using for a few thousand years." The confused look on Dean's face prompted an explanation. "It's the warehouse from TV land."

"Seriously?" 

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"Alright. But we can't stay there. We need to fight Amara."

"Well if he finds you-"

"-that's a pretty big if-" Dean interjects.

"-then you have somewhere to hide from 'em, m'kay?"

"Sure, why not."

"Now have fun, Samsquatch."

"If you expect me to trust you, never call me that again."

"I'll take notes."

Gabriel was gone.

Sam and Dean had no idea how he managed to disappear, but they soon found from Castiel that the gates had been reopened by Michael, and that made them slightly happier.

"Y'know," Dean said, "I kinda missed the flap-flap sound of your wings. Nice to have you back, buddy."

"We have bigger problems, Dean." He replied. "If Michael is free-"

"-then his brother is too."

"No, I knew about him. Adam is free. And with the angels."

"Is he a few fruits short of a picnic basket, or...?" 

"Adam is fine and remembers almost nothing from his time down there."

"Seriously?" Sam asked. "Considering that he was down there for nearly twenty thousand years, I'm not exactly able to believe you."

"Twenty thousand?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. Every three minutes, a week passes down there. I was there for, like, five thousand."

"Okay nerd," Dean smiled faintly. "Cas, any idea where to find him?"

"I'm pretty sure he's still Michael's vessel."

Dean's smile dropped. "Poor kid."

"Sam," Cas said. "Was Michael angry with you?"

"Is that even a question?"

"I'm fairly sure I said it that way."

"We ruined his stupid destiny. He didn't exactly take much of a liking to me." The younger hunter sighed. "Lucifer was bad, but Michael was definitely worse."

"So there might be two archangels trying to find and possibly kill you. And they both have vessels."

Sam hadn't considered that.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam definitely hadn't considered that.

So as he and Dean retired to their rooms to get to bed, Sam asked Gabriel to get his feathery ass down there.

"Heya Samsquatch."

"Hello Gabriel."

"Something you needed to tell me?"

"Does Lucifer have a vessel?"

"His old one. Nick. Not sure how he... nicked it-"

Sam sighed loudly.

"What? You have to admit, that was a good one."

"Shut up."

"Anyway, yes. He has a vessel. It isn't deteriorating though. He must've found a way to stop that."

"Demon blood?"

"No, demon blood kept him from exploding."

"Oh."

There was a silence between the two men.

"Hey," Sam said quietly. "Can you show me that hideout you were talking about?"

"Sure thing, Sambo."

"If you butcher my name one more time I'll kill you again."

"Wow, violent."

Sam expected him to snap his fingers, but instead, he put his hand over Sam's entire face, smiling widely.

The warehouse was still still dank and dark, but this time, it was night. There was no sunshine streaming in through the dirty, cracked windows. Sam was disoriented and slightly confused as to why the majestic archangel had decided to put his hand over his entire face. Or where said 'majestic archangel' even was.

"Gabe?"

There wasn't a reply.

"Gabe this isn't funny."

"No, it isn't."

That definitely wasn't Gabriel.

"Who-"

"Sam, take a guess."

The dead-looking eyes of Adam peered out from the darkness just before vanishing again.

"Where's Gabriel." He said it more like a statement than a question.

"I dunno, maybe-"

"Nigeria was fun, Michael. Get away from him."

"Why? Because you said so, little brother?"

"Yes." Gabriel didn't sound the same anymore. He sounded darker. Slightly overprotective.

"What're you going to do about it?"

"I will smite you before you can lay a hand on him."

"I'd like to see you try."

Michael, with the speed of a bullet, had Sam with a blade on his throat.

"What do you want from me, damnit!?" The hunter yelled.

"You. Before Lucifer can find you."

"Why!? So I can be part of your stupid fucking fight!?"

"Sure, if you'd like to put it that way."

Sam was across the room from Michael with a flash of light and the snap of Gabriel's fingers. It made him a little dizzy. Michael turned around quickly but Sam and the other angel were already gone, woven into the maze of pocket dimensions throughout the building.

Michael nearly screamed with anger.

Sam and Gabriel appeared in a grassy field full of hills that didn't look very natural.

The sun had a face. The face of a baby.

"The Teletubbies. Gabriel, the Teletubbies. Why are we in the fucking Teletubbies."

"Oh c'mon Sammich, live a little."

"I'm not too good at that. Now can we get out of here?"

"Ugh, fine. You have no taste in TV. But Samoo, how do you know what the Teletubbies are?"

"That's not important."

Then they were surrounded by a world of crappy animation. And pokemon. Lots of pokemon.

"Gabriel..."

"Come on Sammichu, gotta catch 'em all!"

"I am not going on a pokemon adventure with you."

"But I wanna be a Pokémon master!" Gabriel sounded like he was on the verge of tears, but Sam knew he was faking it.

"Too bad."

"You're so lame!" He snapped his fingers again. Sitcoms were always his favorite.

Three girls ran around a large, empty room, dancing to shitty 80s music in a sporadic fashion. One had fluffy blonde hair, one had short brown hair and glasses, and the third had weird reddish-brown hair and seemed to be the only one with any actual knowledge on how dancing works. None of them noticed either of the men until Gabriel began dancing with them.

The fluffy girl punched him in the face.

After a moment where Gabriel looked scandalized and Fluffy had an odd look on her face that can't really be described, the girl with the glasses kissed him and apologized in French.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sam questioned loudly.

"This was supposed to be a sitcom but I guess it's more of a soap opera. Next channel!"

Before Sam could object he snapped and the scenery changed.

But rather than another bright or confusing landscape, they were back in the dark, empty warehouse.

Gabriel was confused. He had intended for them to change.

"Entertaining trick, little brother. Fighting was never your strong point, was it?" Michael said.

"Let me go!" Sam screamed. It echoed a little off of the walls and Gabriel winced at how scared he sounded. He had to do something, but what could he do?

There was a scuffle and a thud, and then, for the first time since- well, since ever because heaven isn't all that big on roofs.

For the first time, there were three archangels under the same roof, and now it was Michael's turn to panic.


	4. Chapter 4

"Gentlemen." The new voice said. "Nice to see you again."

There was a stunned silence between the three others.

"Especially you, Sammy. I mean, really, you've grown so tall! I missed you."

The fourth voice seemed to move toward Sam as it spoke. Lucifer's aggressive expression was carved through the darkness.

Gabriel was shocked. Completely stunned speechless and he didn't like it. He wanted to move, or do something, or help Sam. Just get out of his stupid trance and do something about Satan and the boy he's probably about to murder.

Or worse. He can do much worse.

"Get away from me." Sam's voice broke, and though Gabe couldn't see him completely, he was sure the hunter might cry, panic, or kill his brother.

"But Sam," he drew out the younger brother's name in a whine, "I thought we were besties!" Lucifer punched him in the arm, a little harder than he would if he had actually been joking.

"N-no! Don't touch me!"

"Lucifer." Michael said. "Leave him alone."

"Why? So you can use him as leverage to get what you want? I don't give a rat's ass what you want from me. Nor am I going to give it to you."

Gabriel cautiously crept up behind Sam.

"And you, Gabriel, wherever you are," Lucifer said, causing the youngest archangel to freeze, "don't be stupid this time around."

"Stupid!?" Gabriel couldn't help but yell. "You killed me!"

"You were trying to murder your own brother!"

"And you were going to murder your brother too! You could've disarmed me, or, y'know, not kill me, but you did like the whiny little bastard you are!"

"Shut up Gabriel." Michael demanded.

Gabriel was right behind Sam. The hunter leaned back slightly and whispered for Gabe to get him out of there.

"Not gonna happen, Sam."

"Please don't hurt me."

"Why not?" Lucifer said. "You threw me right back into hell for nearly twenty thousand years. You think I'll just forgive you for that!?"

Gabriel reached out to fly Sam out and was promptly thrown across the room.

"You were going to end the world because of some stupid fight with your stupid family! I-"

"I know you think you had no other choice, Sam. But you did. You could've let it happen." Michael drawled.

"Never! There was no other option without letting you two burn everyone!"

"You tore up destiny. That deserves more punishment than we could ever give." Lucifer smiled, making Sam shiver. "You ruined more than that too. Hell, you made the angels fall-"

"You freed the Leviathans."

"You left Dean in purgatory."

"You released the Darkness."

"There's good reason for us to be plenty pissed at you for a lot more than stopping the apocalypse, Sam. And I doubt Gabriel can do all that much to save you."

Sam's entire world went up in flames.

Or at least, it felt like it.

He knew he wasn't burning. He knew he wasn't going to die. But it felt like it. It felt like he was still in the cage. Sam lost the ability to think. In that single moment, literally all he knew was pain. Hot and cold and furious.

But then there was a light.

The entire warehouse lit up and everything stopped.

He was leaning onto Gabriel, barely aware of the blood on his hand and the sigil on the wall.

"Hey, Sam, its okay. They're gone."

"It isn't okay. They- they're gonna kill me..."

"Michael and Lucifer aren't going to be anywhere near you, ever again. Okay?"

"Mhmm."

Sam sounded alright, but Gabriel knew that he was internally on the verge of a complete breakdown that could be anywhere from a minor panic attack to a complete fit and he had no idea how he would handle either.

The hunter took shallow breaths and was home within seconds. Castiel jumped out of the way as Gabriel landed next to him, a barely aware Sam leaning against him and a lot of explaining to be done.

"Gabriel!? What happened to Sam!?"

Gabe turned to Dean, almost dramatically.

"The Devil."

"I thought you said he wouldn't find him!"

"I did. And I was wrong. I underestimated my brother again and it cost Sam, okay!? Now deal with him before he has a mental freaking breakdown because I need to be anywhere but here!"

The archangel vanished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up - at some point in the show after Sam got his soul back, he collapsed and had flashbacks of the cage. He asked Dean how long he was out, and Dean replied "Three minutes. Why, how long did you think it was?"
> 
> Sam responded with, "A week."
> 
> I did all the math, and the 18 months he spent in the cage would be roughly equivalent to 5,000 years. Thus, the six years Lucifer and Michael were in the cage is a collective 17,500 years. That's my headcanon for it. Fight me.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam was terrified.

Gabe had sent them away with a sigil, sure, but that'd just mean they'd come back even more pissed off than last time and that would mean that he'd get hurt again.

Michael and Lucifer couldn't find him in the bunker, right?

He asked Cas if there was anything he could do to help.

"I don't know," the angel said. "What do you mean?"

"The bunker obviously isn't angel warded-"

"You and Dean are, and so am I. It doesn't matter if the bunker is warded because no angel knows that it exists, much less that you hide out here."

"Oh," Sam was slightly more relieved. "Alright."

Sam tried to distract himself. To get his mind off of it. But the entire ordeal kept replaying and replaying in his head and he couldn't shake the feeling that Michael and Lucifer were right. That he was a mistake and every choice he made just messed things up more. He tried to tell himself that he shouldn't care, that it was the devil and one of the most corrupt angels there are telling him his sins, but he knew that, technically, they were right.

He sighed and took a sip of whiskey.

"Hey," Dean said. "Ease up on the alcohol, okay?"

"Whatever."

"Dude, seriously, what's with you?"

"What do you think?"

"I know you're scared, alright? But you need to calm down. We can handle this." He urged. "Hell, if we need to, we can kill them. Michael and Lucifer aren't going to hurt you again."

Sam simply nodded. He only felt a little bit better, but it still felt good knowing that they'd be able to find a way out of this.

When Gabriel showed up at the bunker again, Dean was pissed at him for letting Sam get hurt. He didn't seem to care all that much that Gabe had also saved him.

"C'mon Dean-o, who cares?"

"I do, for one! Cas was almost as nervous as Sam and I seem to be the only functional one here!"

"I saved his ass anyway, so if you don't want my help I'd be happy to leave you to the other archangels!"

"You still-"

"Jesus Christ, Dean! Can you shut up already!?"

"Sam." Cas said. "Please stop yelling."

"They were yelling first!"

"Stop acting like a kid."

"Only of they shut up!"

"Geez," Gabriel mumbled. "No wonder you were my brother's vessel."

"What? Why?"

"You so insufferably obnoxious."

Sam scowled at the angel. "Too soon."

"Its been nearly six years."

"Still too soon."

"Gabriel, please." Cas said. "It obviously makes him uncomfortable for you to joke about such a thing."

"Do I look like I care?"

Dean pulled Sam aside.

"C'mon, Sammy. Please tell me you don't trust Gabriel."

"I- well, uh, kinda."

"Kinda? Seriously?"

"Yeah, Dean. Seriously. He saved my life. He's offering to help us. I trust him."

"You're unbelievable."

"So are you!" Sam stated. "Sure he may have gotten me into the mess but he still got me out!"

"I don't care. What if he's helping them?"

"Since when would he help them!?" Sam was appalled, and resisted the urge to punch his brother. "He helped up throw them both into the cage and he died holding Lucifer off for us!"

"Fine. Maybe you're right. I'm still not trusting him completely."

Sam sighed. He turned around and saw Gabriel and Cas having a similar argument. Not about them, though.

Later that night, Sam was having difficulty sleeping. 

It took him nearly an hour to fall asleep and when he finally did, he had the fleeting sensation that he was actually falling. Sam landed on his back and almost cried out with the reality of falling onto a concrete floor from some large height. He knew he was dreaming but he had no idea what the dream was about.

Not until he saw where he was.

He stood in the Cage, the holes carved carefully out in the metal let in the image of the void beyond it. The corners of his vision warped, giving him a constant sense of unease. Sam looked around. The box was completely empty. Besides him, of course.

Then he felt something breathe on his neck.

Sam jumped and whirled around to see nothing. Then two arms grabbed him from behind. Sam bit his lip so hard that he drew blood so he wouldn't scream.

"Hello Sam."


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, now Sam was really terrified.

The angel let him stand again and the moment he turned around, he was gone. 

"Hello?"

"Hiya."

"What do you want?" Sam kept catching a glimpse of the man in the corner of his eye, but as soon as he tried to get a good view of him, he'd disappear again and they'd rinse and repeat.

"A nice chat over a cup of warm tea." Lucifer chimed sarcastically.

"Well if that's all you'd like, I'd love to wake up now."

"So rude. I thought we were friends, Sam."

"You torture all your friends?"

"I'm not very well-versed in showing affection." Lucifer stopped. Sam finally caught a view of him in the center of his vision before he began to pace around him in circles.

"Can't say I'm surprised, to be honest." Sam said, his voice uncertain.

"Oh, nervous?"

"Maybe a little." The hunter admitted.

"Really?" He stopped pacing right in front of Sam, a mere two feet from his face. "A little?"

"Yes. A little."

"Doesn't sound like it."

"What doesn't sound like it?" Sam questioned confusedly.

Lucifer put a hand over Sam's heart. Sam flinched hard and he smiled faintly.

"I can hear your heart pounding as hard as you can."

"So?"

"So you're nervous." He removed his hand and Sam sighed with slight relief.

"What do you want?" Sam repeated.

"Take a guess."

"No. Tell me or you don't get whatever you want from me."

"I think I'll get what I want regardless of whether you give it to me or not."

"Yeah, just like the last time you wanted something from me."

"I wanted you as a vessel and I technically got it, Sam."

"Answer the question."

"Technically, I want your intestines on a stick." Lucifer said. Sam looked terrified out of his wits.

"Why?"

"Because Michael wants you for something or other and I don't want him to get it. So killing you is the next best thing."

Sam was silent. He barely even thought in that one moment. That's when it finally sunk in. The devil was free and he wanted his head.

"I think I'll pass."

"You don't have a choice, Sam. I'll get you eventually."

"That'll never happen."

"That's what you said last time."

"I mean it."

"Michael will end you anyway. There's no way out of dying, not this time. And you heard what the reaper said. If you die, you aren't coming back. You're headed straight to the void."

"Shut up! it's not gonna happen!" Sam's hand twitched. He wanted to hurt the archangel even though he knew it was a bad idea. 

"Oh, go ahead, I'd like to see you try." Lucifer smiled. He had read Sam's mind and he was amused by the idea of Sam trying to hurt him.

"No."

"Seriously, go ahead. Do it. 'Ts not like you can actually hurt me."

The hunter didn't react. He wanted to. He really, really wanted to, but it would just give Lucifer an excuse to hurt him. And they were in a dream. It didn't have to follow any real-life rules and he could do things that would normally kill him.

"I'm not gonna give you an excuse to hurt me. No."

"I don't need an excuse to hurt you. In fact, I could do that for as long as I please, and because you're dreaming, there is nothing you can do."

"Then why encourage me to hurt you?"

"Because I like you when you're angry. You get so pointlessly violent and it's very fun to watch you run in circles trying to fix the problem."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or offended, to be honest."

"That's up to you, Sammy."

"I want to wake up now."

"That's nice."

"Why can't I, then?"

"I dunno. I thought we were having a pretty nice chat."

"We weren't. Let me go."

"Fine. Rude. But I just want you to know; you won't escape this. I'm gonna get you eventually, Sam. You can't run."

Sam woke up on the verge of tears. Panicking, shaky, and completely scared shitless.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean sighed as Sam went over what happened again a third time for Gabriel and Cas. He didn't like the sound of what'd happened to Sam at all.

Sam, on the other hand, hated retelling this story.

He was visited by the devil in a dream. How many times does it need to be repeated?

But he sat and he drank and he still told the story because he had to. And Gabriel stayed completely silent. He didn't joke or snicker or anything. He stayed dead silent the entire time and it freaked Sam out.

It was no surprise that Lucifer wanted him dead. He'd thrown him back into hell and apparently, whatever Michael wants with Sam is bad for him so it makes sense that he'd have to die to stop it. But now that he didn't have any more free passes, dying wasn't exactly on his bucket list. 

"Wait," Gabriel finally said. "So... both of them want you dead, but Mikey needs you for some super-special-secret ritual?"

"Yeah, something like that. Any idea what it could be?"

"Not a clue, Toucan Sam."

"Gabriel," Castiel pointed out. "What makes you so sure that Sam is a toucan in human flesh?"

"Uhm..." Sam stepped away, mildly uncomfortable.

"Cas, no." Dean mumbled.

"Cas yes." Gabriel replied.

"We have a very serious, archangelic death threat on our hands here and you're joking about me being a toucan in human flesh." Sam said. 

"Wow!" Gabriel chimed sarcastically. "I never would've noticed had you not oh-so-generously pointed it out to me!"

"Shut up." Sam mumbled.

\--

The next time Gabriel came back, Crowley and Dean were having a heated screaming match.

"What do you mean Lucifer got him!? You said he'd be safe you ass!"

"I did say that, and it turns out I was wrong! Rowena's locked up for it and there's nothing we can do!"

"Both of you shut the hell up!" Gabe yelled. Both of the others stilled. They hadn't noticed his presence. "What happened!?"

"Crowley and Rowena arranged for them to talk and Lucifer has him!"

"Why in the hell did you let him do that!?"

"Because we don't have another option, Gabriel! We can't stop Amara without help!"

"So you gave him to Lucifer!?"

"No!" Crowley yelled. 

"Then what the hell happened!?"

"Gabriel!"

Gabriel turned to see Cas, glaring at him with his arms crossed.

"What!?"

"Can you stop yelling?" Cas said softly.

"Only if they shut up."

"He's going to kill Sam!" Dean shouted. "I am not going to shut up!"

"Squirrel, compose yourself." Crowley demanded calmly. 

Dean took a deep breath and his voice was deathly calm. "Fine. But I swear, Crowley, if you don't get Sam back, I will have your head."

"So be it."

Crowley disappeared. 

"What the hell!?" Gabriel yelled. He had been keeping his composure so he wouldn't smite Crowley for losing Sam to Lucifer. He didn't quite understand why he cared so much about the hunter, but he didn't really care why either.

"What!?"

"Why would you put Sam anywhere near Lucifer!? You knew something like this would happen!"

"No, I didn't! Do you think I would've let him do this if I didn't think he was safe?"

"You had the king of hell and his mother in charge of your precious Sammy's visit with Satan himself and you didn't even think to supervise!?"

"I was a little busy dealing with God's own sister, thanks!"

"Dean, you fucking idiot!" One of the lightbulbs in the lamps blew out.

Cas was done. He whirled Gabriel around with one hand and mumbled, "Gabriel, so help me God if you don't pull yourself the fuck together I'll make sure to give you to Lucifer instead of Sam."

Dean didn't hear anything but Cas' soft swear and decided that he probably didn't want to know.

"Don't you dare say something like that!"

"Why not?" Cas asked. 

"Because I said so, Cas!" Gabriel almost laughed. Castiel was trying to calm him down (or something) and instead, he was having an ironically opposite effect.

"This is why we can't have nice things." Dean mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"And you wonder why I killed you three hundred times!" Gabriel said loudly, turning around.

"Shut up!"

"No! And you know what, we wouldn't be having this problem if you hadn't abandoned your brother! I've started to notice that you fucking up and leaving him seems to be the root of all your issues!"

Dean stared at him blankly, slowly registering what Gabriel had said.

He turned around and walked out of the room, Cas staring at the floor, not wanting to follow.


	8. Chapter 8

There was no mistaking it. Dean was pissed.

Gabriel had done a lot more than strike a nerve. Dean almost wanted to cry. Cas stared at Gabriel with disapproval etched into his expression like ink on paper. Like it was permanent. The archangel stared at him with so little emotion that he looked like a statue. The way he felt confused him. As he stopped being so angry, he started wondering why he cared so much. It made no sense to him. 

Dean was only offended because everything going on had given him so much sensitivity and so little tolerance for anything frustrating that even Gabriel's simple, seemingly harmless comment had upset him to such a point. The older brother took a deep breath, tread into his room, and immediately threw a fist into the wall so hard that the bang made Cas jump and almost fall into Gabriel.

Cas looked calm and disapproving, though internally, he was almost as panicked as Dean was. He didn't know what was happening to Sam, and he didn't know where he was or how to get him back. He knew how Lucifer got him, but he was terrified that Sam might already be dead. Or worse. Lucifer could definitely do worse.

-Five Hours Prior-

The moment the ring of holy fire burnt out and the sigils on the walls Rowena had claimed would shred his wings failed, Sam felt like he was already a dead man walking. Crowley rushed forward, but Rowena put a hand out in front of him. 

Lucifer smirked, waltzing toward Sam leisurely. "Aw, c'mon Sam. Don't be so blue."

"Get away from me." The hunter swallowed hard, and stepped backwards.

"I thought we were besties!"

"Get. Away. From me." He said, slower.

"Why? Because you said so?"

"Yes. Just-"

"Oh, Sammy. Since when have I ever listened to you?" He stepped close into Sam's personal space as the younger brother backed into a wall.

Sam trembled ever so slightly, whispering, "Please don't hurt me."

"Why shouldn't I?"

There was no reply. The room fell silent, save for the buzz of some electrical equipment.

"That's what I thought." He chuckled, and Sam tensed at the sudden noise. "What's wrong?"

"You know what's wrong, Lucifer. Get away from me." Sam struggled to keep his voice stable.

The angel put an arm up on the wall and leaned more toward Sam. "You need my help, correct?"

Sam nodded. "What do you want?"

"A vessel."

"There isn't anything-"

"Nope. Nothing. All I need to hear from you is 'yes', kiddo."

Sam hesitated momentarily. He wanted to run, but instead, he settled for having Lucifer out of his personal space and shoved him backwards. Usually, the angel wouldn't have budged, but Sam had caught him off guard. He quickly turned, grinned, and snagged the back of Sam's shirt collar, pulling him back. Sam made a strangled cry of surprise as he did so, wide-eyed with panic.

The devil smiled innocently and stared down at the fear-frozen boy with amusement.

"Pathetic."

"Let go of me." He couldn't help but let his voice shake. 

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to. Y'know, it's pretty funny seeing you so flustered."

"Yeah," he replied. "I bet it is, asshole."

Lucifer frowned and threw him to the floor. Sam scampered backwards and shakily got to his feet, sure of the concussion he'd probably just gotten. He squeezed his eyes shut tight for a moment before blinking rapidly, trying to dispel the fuzziness in his vision. 

Crowley turned to Rowena and said, "Mother, if I don't help him-"

"-Dean'll kill you. So cliche. Let the boys have some fun, will you Fergus?"

Lucifer approached Sam quickly and the hunter stood his ground, staring slightly down at the archangel with an unintentionally fearful expression. He was confused, somehow, but amid the confusion, he was sure of two things: Lucifer was going to hurt him, and he most certainly had a concussion that would prevent him from fighting back. 

"I thought you wanted me dead." Sam frowned. "I won't die if I say yes."

"You might as well be dead. Same difference. Personally, I think it's much better than the void."

"How did you know...?"

"Reapers are gossip-loving things. It was bound to reach me eventually."

"Oh, fantastic." He mumbled.

"I know, right? It's how I figured out all the almost-apocalypses you caused. I mean, really. Leviathans? Fallen angels? The fucking darkness? Are you even capable of cognitive thought?"

"At least I didn't murder one sibling and almost kill another."

"Shut up."

"Oh, have I offended you? What a shame." Sam didn't even feel like he was the one speaking anymore. He was just pissed that everything had to be like this. World ending, self-sacrificing, the like.

"I had to, Sam. I didn't have a choice."

"You could've disarmed Gabriel. You didn't have to kill him."

"Stop it."

"What's he doing?" Crowley muttered. 

"I don't know, but I like it." Rowena replied in a hushed voice.

"What, are you gonna kill me because I struck a nerve?"

"Maybe I will, now shut up."

"Why, because I'm right and you don't like it?"

"Shut up!"

"No!"

"Sam, shut up." Lucifer repeated, quieter this time.

"Make me." At that moment, Sam felt the all-too-human emotion of regretting everything he'd ever said over the course of his entire life. Saying 'make me' to the Devil was like saying 'hey, how about you kill me! I'll supply the knife!' and waving some neon green and red flags. It was inviting Lucifer to hurt him and giving him all the reason he needed; the arrogant taunting was certainly just fuel for the fire.

Lucifer stepped toward him and Sam didn't dare move. He smirked, and before Sam could move away, he jerked a hand forward to his forehead. Sam flinched at his touch. All of what he'd been planning to say was lost as they disappeared, the last thing he saw being Crowley dashing past his mother to help, though it was already too late.

"That shut you up, now didn't it?"


	9. Chapter 9

"Dean?" Gabriel knocked on his door, frowning.

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"And I don't care."

"Please let me in."

"Why?"

"Dean," Cas said. "He knows how to find Sam."

"Fine." Dean unlocked the door and stared at Gabriel with thinly veiled anger.

"Thank you. I- uhm- I'm sorry." 

"It's fine." Dean shook his head. "You know how to find Sam?"

"Erm, only technically." 

"How do you only technically-"

"Magic!"

"Explain. Now."

"You have something that belongs to Sam, correct?"

"Obviously."

"Something small, flammable, and touched by him in the past twenty-four hours."

"Got it."

Dean was determined to get Sam back. He looked around for something that fit the criteria. He quickly picked up a wood pencil from Sam's desk and gave it to Gabriel begrudgingly. Gabriel snapped it in half effortlessly, the same way a thin twig can be snapped with a few fingers, and threw it into a magically conjured bowl of ingredients.

"Match?" Dean asked.

"Nope." Gabriel flicked his hand forward and the spell it up, along with the map on the table next to it. His eyes glowed a little, but Dean was momentarily convinced that it wasn't because of the flame. 

"There." Cas pointed to a spot in the center of the untouched area of the map. It was a little less than a quarter mile away. The angel swore under his breath, knowing that Lucifer knew their whereabouts.

-

In some cold, dark basement somewhere Sam didn't know, not a sound could be heard, save for his breath. He had realized that his jacket was gone. He only had a t-shirt on instead and was sure that Lucifer did it on purpose to make him cold. It was pitch black, and he couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. He knew Lucifer was probably in there too still, even though it'd surely been a while. A few hours at least. But he'd heard Lucifer say something when they first got there, and he surely enjoyed watching Sam uncover the most likely venomous snake (which was later found to be dead, though it'd still caused Sam a minor heart attack), or the mouse it'd been hunting. He stayed calm and found one of the walls, checked for anything under him, and sat down. Waiting. For what, he had no idea. But he waited, before finally getting a little nervous.

"Lucifer?" His voice was quiet and it made him even more nervous to face the possibility that he might be alone in there. 

There was no reply.

Well, not verbally, anyway.

Lucifer jumped from the shadows and practically tackled Sam to the floor. The combined stress of building up all that nervousness and the situation in general caused him to shout and immediately beg. "Please! Please don't hurt me!"

The archangel snickered. "Why not?" He had an arm over Sam's windpipe, pressing lightly while pretty much sitting on him. Sam felt too weak to fight back. 

"I don't know."

"Well there should certainly be a reason, kiddo."

Sam closed his eyes, defeated. Lucifer pressed down a little harder on his throat. "How can you see?"

"Magic." The angel replied, smiling, though Sam couldn't see it. 

"How descriptive." Sam mumbled.

"I know, right?"

"Why am I here?"

"Mostly because it'd shut you up, but even more so because it's freaking Dean, Cas, and Gabriel out."

"You met with-"

"No, I didn't. But I can hear some of the things they've been thinking."

"But... we're close to the bunker?" 

"Apparently."

"Why won't you let me go? They're bound to come here eventually, and that'd mean more trouble for you." Sam knew he was highly unlikely to persuade Lucifer to set him free, but it was worth a try.

"That'll mean more trouble for you, Sammy, because you're bound to remember what happened last time I fought with Dean and Cassie."

"No, no, please don't kill them!"

"But it'll be fun." He whined, almost mockingly.

"Please. Kill me instead."

"Oh Sam, since when has begging ever worked for you?"

"Since never..." Sam mumbled, almost heartbroken.

"Exactly. You won't get your way."

Sam realized the presence of something metal pressing into his spine as the adrenaline from Lucifer startling him wore off. Sure, Lucifer had taken his coat, but had he really not noticed the angel blade under his shirt, poking out of his waistband?

"Please get off me."

"Why?"

"You're going to kill my family," Sam spat bitterly. "It's the least you can do."

Lucifer shrugged. "Fair enough."

The archangel stood and Sam got to his feet. He kept in mind that Lucifer could see, though he couldn't. Even if he did kill Lucifer, how would he get out? It was pitch black and feeling around for an entrance or exit hadn't worked before.

"What's over there?" Sam pointed behind Lucifer.

"Dunno. Good question."

"You're the one who can see, can you look?"

"There's a really creepy clown doll."

"Oh." Sam felt chills. 

Lucifer chuckled. "I knew you'd like it."

"I really don't." He mumbled.

"C'mon, Sammy. Live a little. What's so bad about clowns?"

"You know why I don't like them, Lucifer. You've been in my head."

"Touche." He shrugged.

There was a moment of silence. That was when Sam chose to take his chance. He lunged in the general direction of the archangel and the soft thud of a body hitting a body alerted Sam to his accuracy. He jammed the blade into the angel's leg blindly. Lucifer groaned and a spark of light lit up the room for a split second. Sam inhaled sharply, and despite his fear, mumbled "let me go" through gritted teeth.

"You little shit!" Lucifer shouted loudly.

Loud enough for the angel, archangel, and hunter walking down the sidewalk outside to hear. And clear enough for Gabriel to recognize. The three of them exchanged a glance and entered cautiously.

Sam twisted the blade and Lucifer screamed. "Let me go."

"Sam?" Dean shouted. Sam's head jerked sideways and he looked up.

That was when Lucifer chose to take his chance.

He threw Sam, carelessly, into one of the walls, tossing him around the small room twice. Sam practically shrieked with pain as he hit the corner of a table, full force. The blade stuck in his leg and it caused him pain to cause Sam pain, but the fun of it, the rush, it was worth it.

"Dean!" The hunter cried, pain leaving trails of dots in his vision.

There was a bang from upstairs. Lucifer knew they'd find him, but would it be soon enough?

He pulled Sam toward him and smiled. "Oh, come on Sam. I thought you were better than this."

"They're here. What are you talking about?"

"Sure, your friends are here, but will they find you fast enough?"

"What are you-"

Lucifer stood and bitch-slapped Sam, effectively cutting off the rest of his sentence. Sam groaned and stumbled backwards. He pushed at the angel to get him away and then, there was deafening silence.

Sam couldn't see, and Lucifer could. The only sound was Sam's own breathing and distant bangs from upstairs. The boy tried his hardest to keep the fear in the back of his mind, to not let it show. He stood as tall as he could and looked around even though he couldn't see anything. Lucifer couldn't help but snicker, causing Sam to whirl around. The archangel appeared behind him, and ran a knife down the hunter's arm. He winced and grabbed the wound with his other hand, pressing on it hard and calling out his brother's name.

"Sam!" Dean yelled back. "Where are you?"

"The basem-"

Lucifer grabbed him from behind and put a hand over his mouth, muffling his voice. Sam thrashed, trying to pull away to no avail. Dean got the hint, however, and immediately told Cas and Gabriel to start looking for a hidden door. 

"Closets, crawlspaces, anything." He said, panicked. "Just find a way into the basement."

"Shut up, Sam." Lucifer hissed, almost literally. 

Sam tried to reply with 'go fuck yourself' but it was muffled by the palm of the devil's hand. The hunter stopped moving and bit his hand as hard as possible. Lucifer flinched and pulled away, groaning. 

A single ray of light poked through the entrance to the basement and was abruptly blocked by something in front of the door.

"Sam!" Cas called. "It's jammed!"

The younger brother ran forward and pulled a dresser only a few inches away from the door before Lucifer pulled him back and put two fingers two his forehead. Sam collapsed, and the last thing he saw was Gabriel force the door open before everything went black.


	10. Chapter 10

Dean didn't rush to help his brother. Instead, he lunged at Lucifer.

The devil sneered as Dean did so, quickly grabbing his arm and effortlessly dislocating his shoulder. Gabriel stared at his brother, furious, and decided to get his attention.

"Lucifer!"

He turned sharply and his breath hitched in his throat. It hurt hearing his brother talk in the warehouse, but seeing him so furious with him hurt in a way he couldn't really describe. Lucifer grasped at the sharp stone around his neck for a split second, letting it cut his palm before quickly shoving it back into the collar of his shirt. Gabriel noticed with a frown, wondering why his brother would do that.

"Gabriel." He said, almost smugly despite the pain in his chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Having some fun."

"Fun!?" Gabriel shouted, staring up at him bitterly. "You call this fucking fun!?"

"Gabriel! Calm down!"

"No! You killed me, and you want me to calm down!?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do!"

"Why? Because you said so!? Because you'll kill me or torture my friends if I don't!?"

"I- no, but-"

"No! Don't you dare try to defend yourself! You fucked up and you aren't pinning the blame on anyone but yourself, you understand me!?"

"Shut up! Stop it!"

"Why?" He pushed Lucifer backward, a flame spreading through him, like he knew that his brother deserved to be hurt. 

Lucifer had fallen backwards, the blade still in his leg preventing him from standing. Cas healed Dean and tried to figure out how to get Sam away from Lucifer, seeing as he was laying behind him on the floor. 

"And you know what!? It wasn't even me alone. Then you had to go try and murder Michael too!" The younger archangel was beyond furious. The amount of emotion running through his veins was almost indescribable. "What is your problem!?"

"I don't know! Just shut up!"

"Why!?"

"Because I said so, dammit!"

"Oh, and your word is gospel now!?"

"Yes!"

Gabriel sighed loudly. It wasn't completely what Lucifer had said, though. It was more of how little he'd been controlling his temper recently.

Cas appeared behind Lucifer in the moment of distraction. He quickly picked Sam up under his arms and lifted him before appearing next to Dean again. The older Winchester tried to shake him awake, and Lucifer snickered.

"What?" Cas asked. "What's so funny?"

"He's not gonna wake up, Cassie."

Gabriel's chest felt cold. "What?" 

"I said, he's not gonna wake up anytime soon. Not unless I want him to."

"You didn't!" The youngest archangel yelled.

"I did." Lucifer smirked.

"Wake him up, now!"

"Nah."

"Luce!" The nickname slipped out before Gabriel could stop it. "Please!"

Something made Lucifer's stomach turn. His voice became a little less stable. "No."

Gabriel leaned down and pulled the sword from Lucifer's leg. His older brother gasped and writhed with agony. "I won't become you. I don't want to hurt you. But you will fix him."

"I will do no such thing."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"Why don't you want to?"

"Because it frustrates you."

"Remember the last time you did something solely because it frustrated me?"

"Yeah," Lucifer replied quietly, "I used to pull feathers from your wings."

"And remember how I got you to knock it the hell off?"

"You won't."

"I will."

"Gabriel, what are you suggesting?" Cas asked.

Gabriel ignored him. "So, Luci. Don't you want me to call big brother?"

"Don't you fucking dare."

"Why shouldn't I?"

Lucifer sighed. "I'll do it."

"Thank you."

The devil held up a hand and his younger brother grabbed it and pulled him up. He glared at Cas and Dean threateningly, Cas backing away and putting out a hand to make sure Dean backed up with him. Lucifer leaned down to Sam. When he touched his forehead, his temperature was surprisingly high. Almost painfully so. 

"What is it?" Dean asked in response to his hesitation.

"His temperature." Lucifer mumbled.

Dean, despite Cas' disapproval, leaned down and put the back of his hand to Sam's head. An easy hundred-degree temperature. "What'd you do!?"

"Shut up, Dean. It isn't important." 

Lucifer woke Sam up and he bolted upright, breathing like he was taking his first breaths after a long time underwater. The devil grinned as Sam stared at him with the utmost panic.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, kiddo."

"Get away from me." He mumbled shakily.

"What do we do with him?" Cas mumbled to Gabriel.

"Good question."

"Do we stab him?" Dean asked.

"I don't have my sword on me and this isn't gonna do jack." Gabriel mumbled, holding up the angel blade.

"Shame," Lucifer chimed in. "Real shame."

"Oh, you shut up." The younger archangel rolled his eyes. 

"Never."

"Gabriel, take Sam back." Cas demanded.

Gabriel nodded, reaching a hand down to Sam. He wondered why Dean and Cas would want to confront Lucifer alone, but he knew he certainly wouldn't keep his composure doing so, so he didn't question it. Sam grabbed his hand and they both disappeared.

Sam practically started crying. He wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. His back still hurt from being thrown around the basement and the fear welling up in his chest that Gabriel taking him home wasn't real, but rather, Lucifer just messing with him was forcing tears from his eyes before he could blink them away fast enough.

The archangel's expression softened and he brushed some hair back from Sam's face, mumbling. "You're okay. You're gonna be okay, Samsquatch."

He sniffled and shook his head. "How do I know this is real?"

Gabriel's heart broke. "You- you don't think..."

"I don't know what I think. I- I don't know if he's still just messing with me, or- or if-"

He put a finger over Sam's lips. "Please just trust me, alright? It's real. You're real, I'm real, and I can promise you, you're safe. I won't let any of this happen again."

Sam nodded. He believed Gabriel wholeheartedly, even though he didn't know why.


	11. Chapter 11

Sam splashed cold water into his face and took a deep, deep breath.

Gabriel strolled into the bathroom and rubbed circles on the hunter's back. "You good now?"

"Mhmm." He said, drying his face with a towel. "Do you think Dean and Cas are alright?"

"Yeah."

"Alright." He turned around and leaned back, gripping the edges of the sink with white knuckles.

"Still having your existential crisis?"

"It isn't a joke, Gabe. I don't even know if this," he waved a hand in a semicircle, "is real."

"I taught him that..." Gabe looked down, guilty.

"What?"

"I taught Lucifer that the funniest way to mess with some of the angels would be to confuse reality for them. This is my fault." He stared up at Sam pleadingly. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Sam shook his head. "Just because he took the joke too far doesn't mean you're responsible for the collateral damage. It's fine." 

"You aren't just 'collateral damage' Sam."

"If you say so."

Sam walked out and partially limped to the kitchen, causing Gabe to frown.

"You're hurt."

"I noticed."

"Come here."

"No." He grabbed a mug of warm coffee and took a sip.

"Sam," he said, his voice more stern. "Come here."

The hunter put down his coffee and swallowed hard, almost cowering as he approached the angel. Gabriel noticed and frowned, putting two fingers to Sam's temple and alleviated the pain.

"Did I just scare you?"

"Maybe."

"Didn't think you could be scared by someone almost a foot shorter than you."

"You thought wrong."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. I shouldn't be such a wimp."

"C'mon, Sambo. You aren't a wimp. You're the bravest human I know. You've got five thousand years worth of torture memories and it hasn't rendered you brain dead yet, for starters."

"I guess you're right. I still feel weak."

"That's alright. I just want you to know that everyone thinks that you aren't." He soothed.

"I know, trust me. I just feel like it's wrong."

Gabriel nodded. "Whatever you say."

The hunter smiled faintly and grabbed his coffee, sitting down at one of the long research tables and flipping open a book. Gabe sat down across from him and stared off with blank eyes into space. Sam snapped his fingers in front of Gabe's face, which didn't even get him to blink. The hunter laughed and the angel snapped to attention.

"What?"

"Nothing," Sam laughed. "Nevermind."

Gabe sighed. "Whatever."

"So, any leads on what Michael wants with me?"

"Nope. It may have something to do with your time in the cage though."

"What's that mean?"

"Well, you're probably the purest soul in creation because you spent five thousand years in a place worse than hell and still didn't turn. Or maybe that makes you the oldest human soul, too, since most souls your 'age' turn into angels or demons."

"You can turn into an angel?"

"Of course you can. Most spend a few hundred years in heaven beforehand, though. How'd you think angels repopulated with such constant warfare without God creating new ones?"

"Oh. I thought you didn't."

"Trust me, Sammykins, we'd be beyond extinct if we didn't."

"Wait, but in Earth's terms, I'm still only 34."

"The amount of memories you have are more important than the actual age of your body. Besides, your soul counts hell time."

"Makes sense." He shrugged.

Gabe continued staring into nothing. 

"Hey," Sam finally spoke up after a few minutes' silence, "wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure."

"What kind?"

"Horror." Gabe grinned.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Anything specific?"

"Anything neither of us have seen."

"Fantastic." The hunter downed the rest of his drink.

Half an hour later, they were in the middle of a random movie, practically cuddling. They were sitting in each other's personal space on Sam's bed. The jump-scare made Sam, who was half asleep, flinch so hard that Gabriel chuckled and pulled him closer. The younger brother had no objection to this. 

About forty-five minutes after that, the movie was over and Sam was wondering what happened to Dean and Cas. He prayed to the angel and nearly five minutes later, both men appeared with Dean laughing a little. 

"I'm assuming it went well?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah." Dean replied.

"What happened?"

"Nothing important. What'd you two do?"

"We watched a movie."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"If you insist." Dean said suggestively.

"Oh, shut up."

"Is Sam alright?"

"Pretty shaken, but yeah, he's alright."

"Good."

Gabriel decided to hang out at the bunker for the next couple days in order to keep his promise. Nothing like that was going to happen to Sam again. Two nights later, Gabriel heard Sam say something, muffled by his bedroom door. It was four in the morning and Gabe had been sure that Sam was fast asleep. He continued walking until he heard something else, then he peeked into the door. 

The human looked obviously uncomfortable. His face, even while he was asleep, was contorted with pain from something Gabriel couldn't even guess. The angel frowned and shook him by the shoulder. Sam bolted upright, soaked in a cold sweat and only partially clothed. He was breathing heavily and staring at Gabriel wide-eyed, trying to say something. The words wouldn't come out properly and it would've left Sam looking like a complete idiot had he not been so terrified.

"Sam?"

"What?" His voice quivered.

"Are you alright?"

Sam didn't mean to, but he shook his head anyway.

Gabriel sat down at the end of his bed. "What was it about?"

"Take a wild guess." The sarcasm in his voice almost overpowered the fear.

"Oh. Right. You still don't know what's real?"

"I'm still not sure."

"He really messed you up that bad, huh? It's been two days." He shuffled closer as Sam turned to dangle his legs off the bed.

"It used to last weeks at a time. We had all the time in the world."

"I could prove it to you."

"How?"

Gabriel hesitated and pulled Sam toward him. The boy flinched slightly as Gabe roughly pressed his lips to Sam's. His entire chest swelled with excitement as the archangel pulled back, smirking. Sam couldn't help but smile, too.

"Did I prove it?"


	12. 12

Sam's face and most of his neck flushed bright red with some form of embarrassment or excitement.

"Uhm... maybe- I mean- I don't know."

Gabriel grinned crookedly. "I'll take that as a yes."

He laughed nervously at the heat in his cheeks and the warmth in his chest. "Yeah."

"You look a little red there, Sammich."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Gabriel chuckled. "Sure you don't. So, d'ya think I need some practice, or did I meet your standards."

"Uh.. yeah, you did, but-" Sam paused and laughed breathlessly. "You're gonna die now that you've kissed me."

"Oh, c'mon kiddo. You know that's not true."

"Seriously? All my dead exes would beg to differ."

Gabe smiled wider. "My love for you burns like a ceiling fire. I'm sure I'll be fine."

Sam stared at him with such a bitchface that Gabe wanted to smack him. 

"Gabriel."

"Yes?"

"You're dead to me."

"Aw, but Sam, you know I'll come back to life."

The hunter sighed loudly and rolled his eyes. He just fell in love with an archangel, and he was sure it was some kind of abomination.

"It is, but I really don't care."

"What?" Sam raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"An angel loving a human. It's an abomination."

"Please don't read my mind again."

"I make no guarantees." He winked.

"Please? I'm asking nicely."

"I said I make no guarantees. I never said I would or wouldn't."

"Whatever. But isn't... aren't you going to get in a lot of trouble?"

"Since when have I listened to heaven's rules?"

"True, but..."

"No buts. Do not 'but' me, Sammy."

"Fine. My only question is why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you like me?"

"Good question." He mumbled, before speaking louder. "I don't really know. I mean, I was really confused because I just... cared about you. I guess when you had your existential crisis I realized it."

"Nice knowing you're as confused as I am." Sam looked to the clock on his nightstand. "Now can I please go back to bed?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"No problem."

Gabriel pulled Sam close and kissed him one more time, a little less roughly this time, and got up. Sam smiled as Gabriel softly shut the door behind him. The next morning was awkward for both of them. Dean knocked on the table and caught Sam's attention. 

"Hey, Sam. What's with you?"

"Huh? Nothing."

"It's not nothing, dude. What's up?"

"I just- uh-"

"I kissed your brother." Gabriel smirked as he passed by.

"Real funny." Dean rolled his eyes.

"He, uh, he isn't kidding." Sam turned red and hung his head.

"What!?"

"Dude. Chill." Gabe leaned on the table. "Your brother's bisexual."

"Okay, okay, how did this happen?" Dean asked calmly.

"Sam was having an existential crisis and I proved to him that this is real."

"You guys-" He began to yell.

"Dean! He just kissed me, relax!"

"What?" He said quietly, as if he'd never began yelling.

"Do we need to repeat everything for you?" Gabriel rolled his eyes. "C'mon Dean-o, I thought you were better than this."

"Shut up, Gabriel."

"Keep dreaming, Dean-o."

"Stop calling me that."

"Stop breathing."

"Gabe." Sam said, looking up at him. "Stop it."

The angel shrugged and sat down next to Sam. "So, whatcha doing?"

"Research."

"Research on what?"

"They're doing research on the table, Gabriel. Can't you see that?" Cas added, sitting with the three of them. Gabriel frowned.

"Oh, shut it. But what are you doing research about?"

"We're researching banshees. Happy?"

"Ooooh, very." Gabe smirked.

"What's so good about it?" Sam asked, staring at the archangel quizzically.

"Hmmmm... nothing. Don't you worry your pretty little heart over it, Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes, looking back down at his laptop. Dean slid him the remainder of his mug of coffee and the younger Winchester took a sip, grateful for the caffeine. Gabriel ruffled Sam's hair and stood, causing Sam to nearly spit it out.

"Never do that again," the hunter choked. "Like, ever."

"Why not?"

"Because you're messing up my fabulous hairdo." He deadpanned.

Gabriel chuckled and walked away. He hadn't had time to explore the bunker and it interested him a lot. He silently walked around the various corridors until he reached the garage. Looking around the brightly lit room, he wasn't exactly surprised.

"Something interesting?" Dean asked, making the angel jump.

"Uh, maybe?"

"What is it?"

"You know what? Nevermind."

"So what's with the pining after my little brother?"

It took Gabriel a moment to form an answer. "Do you have to know?"

"Yes. I do."

"Okay, well..." He struggled to find a reply that wouldn't upset the older sibling. "I think he's cute. And smart and kind and he's the most tolerable person I've ever tolerated."

"Reassuring."

"Why do you even need to know, anyway? What benefit does it serve knowing that I actually love Sam?"

"Knowing that you won't hurt him. I mean, really, how do I know you aren't just playing a cruel joke?"

"Dean, I feel terrible for the kid. I'm just trying to help."

"If you say so. But if you break his heart I will break your legs."

Gabriel smiled despite the mood of the conversation and the seriousness in Dean's tone. "I know."


	13. Chapter 13

Gabriel caught Sam by the arm before he could run up the stairs. The angel made sure not to pull him backwards, which would probably ensure Sam falling down the stairs. 

"What is it?" Sam asked, shifting the bag on his shoulder.

"Love you." Gabe pressed a kiss on the hunter's lips.

"Love you too." He mumbled.

There was a silence between the two for a moment before Sam bounded up the stairs and Gabe snapped his fingers and vanished.

=*=

Michael stood mere feet away from Amara, staring into her eyes with as much blankness as he could force into his expression.

"Michael, is it?" She said. 

"Yes." The angel spoke quietly, and his tone implied that he wished not to speak.

"I'm assuming you want to kill me." Amara frowned.

"You assume right."

"And how," she asked, "do you plan on doing that?"

"That is something I do not need to tell you."

"Really? It took four of you and God to defeat me last time. Now you think you can do it alone?"

"I am not alone. Now why are you here?"

"I'm here to give you an offer."

"I don't want anything," some level of aggression seeped into the last word, "from you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"What a shame."

Amara approached Michael and he stared back at her with thinly veiled trepidation. She reached towards him and for the first time in forever, Michael legitimately flinched away.

"Don't touch me."

"I'm your family. Don't I deserve some respect?"

"I can't say you do. What does family mean anything to you? You've sucked multiple angels of their grace and they meant nothing."

"I suppose you have a point." She half-shrugged. "So I hear you want Sam Winchester."

"Possibly. So what if I do?"

"I want to strike a deal with you."

"Well I don't, so it isn't happening." Michael snapped angrily.

"If you insist." Amara held herself a little taller. "But if you want to reconsider, you know where I'll be."

She disappeared. Michael was ashamed with himself for considering the offer.

=*=

Sam joined Dean in the Impala. 

"You alright?" He asked, looking Sam up and down. 

"Yeah, fine." Sam answered, giving him a reassuring smile.

"What's Gabriel up to?"

"I don't know. If we're particularly unlucky, he's messing with people."

"It doesn't matter. Is he treating you okay?" 

"Yes, Dean." He answered begrudgingly. "He's treating me fine."

"Just be careful."

"Why? He isn't going to hurt me, Dean."

"How do we know that for sure?" 

"He's saved me from Lucifer twice," he says the other archangel's name quietly, almost bitterly. "And if he wanted to hurt me then he would've already."

Dean frowned. "Alright."

"Seriously, Dean. You don't have to be so concerned." 

"Alright, alright." He repeated, putting up his hands defensively. "I believe you."

Nothing else was said as Dean started the car and drove off. The only sound for the entire ride was Sam's bag falling onto the floor in the back seat and even then no one moved. It wasn't that they were mad at each other. To the contrary, they loved when the car rides were silent like that. It gave them room to think.

This particular hunt was easy. Just two lonely witches with a few grudges. It was nothing special to them, not until Dean was shot. Point blank range, directly above the elbow. The only reason it wasn't in his stomach or chest was because Sam had tackled the woman at the last minute, throwing off her aim. Sam understood that a hospital visit wasn't necessary, so he drove at barely above the speed limit the entire way back to their motel.

He sat his brother down on a chair and pulled it out to face away from the table. Neither Winchester spoke as Sam removed it and handed Dean a shot of whiskey. No argument came from the older brother while his wounds were patched up, despite the abhorrent pain in his arm.

"You good?" Sam asked.

Dean stood as steadily as he could and nodded. "You can have the first shower."

"Okay."

The younger sibling took a change of clothes and threw his old ones -along with the shirt that now had a blood-stained right sleeve- into his bag. He went into the bathroom, locked the door, and got into the shower.

Dean would've thrown himself down onto the bed if he hadn't realized what a bad idea that was at the very last second. Instead, he lay down gingerly and stayed off his left arm. He fell asleep fairly quickly.

When Sam got out of the shower to see with brother sleeping like a baby, he was relieved. Unsure as to why, he shook his head and turned off all the lights before crawling into the second bed. Before he knew it, he was asleep too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> I know this seems like a filler chapter but Michael and Amara might come into play later and Dean's bullet wound becomes important to the story so fight me this is it for now
> 
> peace bitches i'm gone like gabriel.


	14. 14

Sam was no where to be seen, and for a second, Dean almost assumed something bad happened. But when he called out his brother's name, albeit a bit hoarsely, Sam came inside with a questioning look.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Nothing." Dean replied. "What're you up to?"

The oldest brother sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes as Sam shrugged. "Needed some fresh air. You wanna get ready to go home?"

"Yeah."

Sam nodded. There wasn't much to be said, still. But neither cared, nor tried to initiate conversation. The taller Winchester threw his stuff into his bag while his brother brushed his teeth in the bathroom. Once they both shouldered their bags, they gave the room a once-over for any spare belongings, then stepped out. The hum of the car surprised Dean, seeing as he hadn't heard Sam go out to start it while he was getting ready, though he easily shrugged it off.

The bunker was spotless as ever, although both of the brothers didn't notice. For some reason, twenty one pilots was playing three rooms away. Down the left hall, Gabriel was sitting in a guest room and playing literally whatever came on the radio (which just so happened to be Tear In My Heart, something he enthusiastically hummed along to) as he built a card castle. Sam immediately told Dean that it was just Gabe and went to go see him.

"Hello?" Sam peeked into the room and Gabriel turned around to face him, turning down the music, which was now coming to an end. 

"Hiya Samalam. What's cracking?"

"Thanks to you, my sanity." Sam mumbled sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Both literally and metaphorically, huh?" Gabriel questioned rhetorically, before speaking again. "So how's the hunt?"

"Fine. Dean got shot."

"Dean got shot and all you say is 'fine'? That sounds fantastic!"

Apparently, Gabriel spoke a little too loudly, because Dean was soon there in the doorway gesturing at him condescendingly with a mug of coffee. "Shut your face."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Why do you hate me so much anyway?" Dean asked harshly.

"Because you're you."

The older brother sighed loudly. "Whatever." 

He walked away to go drink his coffee in peace. Sam practically giggled, causing Gabriel to snort trying to hold in laughter, which ultimately ended in Sam leaning against the doorway unable to breathe. 

"Such a majestic archangel." Sam commented, smiling broadly.

Gabe placed another card into his masterful creation. "Thanks. But theoretically, I am the most majestic since I am kinda the only one on this plane of existence."

He shrugged. "Maybe."

Gabriel abandoned his card castle to go to the kitchen and grab a snack. Dean stood on the other end of the room with the most smug possible grin on his face as Gabe opened the cabinets to find literally anything he would want to eat on the highest shelf. 

"Sam," he dragged out his lover's name in a whine. "Dean's being a dick again!"

Sam begrudgingly reached up and grabbed some cookies for the short, petulant archangel. He handed them to Gabe, saying, "there, happy?"

"Thanks Sammykins."

Gabriel munched on his snack for a moment, taking tiny nibbles out of it and seeming to space out a little. Jokingly, Sam asked, "whatcha thinkin' about?"

"Sometimes," Gabriel says, "I wish I hadn't survived the fall."

Dean froze, spat his coffee back into the cup, and turned to stare at Sam with the weirdest look splayed across his face, while Sam just blinked a few times with the utmost confusion. Unsure of whether he'd heard Gabe correctly, he asked him to repeat it.

"I know you heard me." Gabriel retorted. "Hey, you did ask me what I was thinking about."

With that, he turned and walked down the hallway with half a cookie in his hand, leaving both Winchesters shocked in his wake.

-

Lucifer was doing a cliche evil villain pace. He hated to admit it, but he certainly was a cliche evil villain. He wasn't just in this to get the Darkness, or to get back at Sam. It was bigger than that. 

He hadn't seen Michael since the warehouse incident. 

He knew it was impossible, but could Michael honestly be siding with Amara? He didn't know the answer for sure. It rang through his head, how stupid he was for even considering the possibility. His brother was better than that. Wait- was he?

Lucifer shook his head and continued to pretend to listen to the demon speaking to him. He viewed his children to be a bit obnoxious and droning sometimes. 

After ending the conversation and vanishing, he threw his fist against a wall, rubbed his face, and sat down with a prolonged, dramatic sigh.

"Lucifer."

He whirled around with the fury of a thousand suns. Whoever was in his hideout didn't belong.

"Who the hell-"

"Lucifer!" A younger girl with a pale face framed by short brown hair jumped at his sudden outburst. She had her hands up, presumably under the pretense that the blond archangel would attack her. "You- we, uh, need your help."

"What is it?"

Lucifer slowly but surely came to the realization that one of two things had come to be. The first being that Crowley may have escaped, and the second being that Amara had made a move of some kind. 

"Sir, a few of the demons made a small mistake."

"Get on with it, please?"

"The Winchesters know we're here. All but one of them are dead."

"How many do you define as 'a few'?"

"Nine."

Sure, maybe none of his expectations had come to light, but this was equally as bad as either in the long run.

-

"Gabe! Where are you!?"

Sam was still laughing a bit about the noise Dean had made when he'd bit into one of his Oreos, only to find toothpaste replacing the filling. Now, five hours later, the archangel was nowhere to be found even after Sam and Dean had prayed to him and informed him of the newly found location Lucifer had set up base. 

Dean was just about to give up searching the bunker and go alone with Cas (something Sam had snickered about when he heard but had made no comment on) when Gabriel scared the living shit out of him by dumping a cup of freezing water and ice down his shirt. The Winchester had begun to ponder turning around and killing the 'obnoxious little fucker' when Sam came to tell him that enough was enough and that they should just go without Gabriel. 

"Where were you?" Sam asked him.

"Under your bed." He casually replied. 

"We need to talk-" Dean began.

"Yeah, yeah, I got your message the second time, bozo. You found Luci. Why do you think I want to be anywhere near him right now? What gives you the idea that I'm up for confronting him?"

"Gabriel," Sam grabbed onto the sleeve of Gabe's sweatshirt, which just so happened to have actually belonged to him, so it was more like grabbing onto the excess fabric near his hand, "you know we can't face him alone. Not with Dean being injured and me..." 

He stopped, but luckily for him, Gabe responded before noticing what he'd accidentally implied. "Fine. I'll go with you. But we are not going to confront him. It's much easier to see what he has up his sleeve before doing anything dumb. Deal?"

The brothers gave each other a look, the youngest giving the oldest a nod.

"Deal," Dean said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse for the absence. I'll be updating regularly over the summer. My apologies.


End file.
